This invention relates to containers for storing and supporting the launch of fuel burning, self propelled projectiles. More particularly, it relates to sleeves for lining the interiors of such canisters. With still greater particularity, it relates to durable projectile canister liners having multiple layers of differing materials.
In the prior art a missile tube lining system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,124,040 issued Mar. 10, 1964. In that system, a rubber mat with spaced annular fins is coated with Teflon or nylon, formed into a tubular sleeve with the fins projecting toward the sleeve's center from the inner surface, and placed in a missile tube where it forms a buffer or support system for a missile to be carried within the tube. As a liner for a projectile canister, the prior art system is susceptible to the thermal radiation emitted by the projectile's burning propellant. The coating of the prior art system is essentially transparent to the radiation which is deposited in the rubber mat. This radiation can be intense enough (4500 watts/in.sup.2 /sec in the case of a projectile known to the inventor) to vaporize the surface of the rubber mat and destroy the bond between the rubber mat and the coating. The coating can then be blown off the mat and the liner destroyed. This, of course, limits the liner's useability to a single launch.
The novel projectile canister liner disclosed and described herein overcomes the limitations of the prior art devices through a unique heat-tolerant feature which increases its durability and a design which provides superior load deflection properties.